VINTAGE JAPAN (new paintings)

In the first three paintings I have experimented introducing japanese “washi paper”. Again Tamasaburo Bando the famous Kabuki actor appears in the first two, as an adult first and then as a Child. The “Tamasaburo Child” painting is based on a short black and white video of one of Tamasaburo Bando’s first on stage performances probably at the age of four years old. Tamasaburo is a legend in Japanese Kabuki Theatre where he usually plays the role of a woman which is called playing “Onnagata” at which he is the undisputed master even now at his advanced age.

Looking back at black & white pictures of Japan I try to imagine what it must have been like living in those days.. and if the camera had captured the clolour, what might that picture have revealed? does coloring a black and white picture differently create alternative realities?… or is it the shape and essence of the person or object portrayed that really determines the outcome? … color setting the mood, here is my interpretation of these vintage Japan black and white photographs….

Kabuki Series

These twenty paintings where exhibited for two weeks at my solo exhibition that took place in May 2017 which was titled "Colores de Kabuki" "Kabuki Colours" “歌舞伎の色彩”. This exhibition took place at the spanish Embassy of Tokyo in their beautiful gallery. The first paintings of this Series were done in 2015 and the last in 2017. The Kabuki theme also will appear briefly in my next short collection of “Washi paintings” that you can find under the “Vintage Japan Series” that I am now painting and will upload onto this website shortly.

I have continued attending Kabuki performances and the more I focus on Kabuki the more it draws me in. The drama is not just in the attire, music, song-narration, interesting stories, superb acting and unbelievable scenic beauty of it all combined, but also in the contrast of movement and studied silent poses that mesmerize you....

Oiran, Geishas and Maikos

Catching a glimpse of a Geisha or a Maiko in the streets of Kyoto is one the joys of visiting this city. Kimonos are still worn by many Japanese women on formal occasions or celebrations that require them to be more dressed up. The style, patterns and combinations of colors on kimonos and Obi are not just incredibly beautiful they also convey information regarding the age of the person wearing them and the occasion they are worn for.

"Maikos on a Stroll"

“Maikos de Paseo”

SOLD

73 x 61 cm (29 x 24 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Maiko Gathering"

“Maikos en Reunión”

190,000 Yen

81 x 65 cm (32 x 26 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Sisters"

“Hermanas”

SOLD

91 x 73 cm (36 x 29 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Oiran Parade"

“Desfile de Oiran”

195,000 Yen

91 x 61 cm (36 x 24 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Spring Matsuri"

“Matsuri de Primavera”

170,000 Yen

61 x 73 cm (24 x 29 ")

acrylic on canvas

Tea Ceremony Series

"Tea Ceremony I"

“Ceremonia del Té I”

SOLD

53 x 65 cm (21 x 25.5 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Tea Cremony II"

“Ceremonia del té II”

195,000 Yen

91 X 73 cm (36 x 29 ")

acrylic on canvas

Monk and Temple Gallery

These are painting of monks and temples of some of the countries I have visited in South East Asia. Represented here in this order are Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

"Swedagon Monks"

“Monjes de Swedagon”

150,000 Yen

53 x 73 cm (21 x 29 ")

acrylic on canvas

"The teachings"

“Enseñanzas”

205,000 Yen

101 x 76 cm (40 x 30 ")

oil on canvas

"The Co Loa Festival"

“Festival de Co Loa”

SOLD

102 x 76 cm (40 x 30 ")

oil on canvas

"Monks"

“Monjes”

155,000 Yen

76 x 56 cm (30 x 22 ")

oil on canvas

"Angkor heads"

“Cabezas de Angkor”

SOLD

46 x 46 cm (18 x 18 ")

mixed media on canvas

Buddha Gallery

I first started painting Buddhas when I was living in Singapore and since then I have continued painting them throughout the different countries I have lived in. The latest ones (that appear first in this gallery) I painted here in Japan, they are Buddhas that are inspired on those found in the temples of Nara, as well as on the beautiful photographs of Japanese buddha statues taken by the late famous photographer Ken Domon.

"Nara Lotus Buddha"

“Buda del Loto, Nara”

SOLD

53 x 65 cm (21 x 25.5 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Domon Buddha"

“Buda de Domon”

140,000 Yen

65 x 53 cm (25.5 x 21 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Buddha in Blue"

“Buda en Azul”

SOLD

73 x 53 cm (28.5 x 21 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Buddha's Hand II"

“Mano de Buda II”

140,000 Yen

65 x 53 cm (25.5 x 21 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Sweet Buddha"

“Buda Dulce”

80,000 Yen

38 x 45,5 cm (15 x 18")

acrylic on canvas

"Dreaming Buddha"

“Buda Soñador”

SOLD

27.5 x 16 cm (11 x 6.2 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Buddha's Smile"

“La Sonrisa de Buda”

140,000 Yen

61 x 61 cm (24 x 24 ")

oil on canvas

"Ancient Buddha"

“Buda Antiguo”

140,000 Yen

61 x 51 cm (24 x 20 ")

oil on canvas

"Modern Buddha"

“Buda Moderno”

150,000 Yen

71 x 56 cm (28 x 22 ")

oil on canvas

"Verdigris Buddha"

“Buda Verdigris”

205,000 Yen

102 x 76 cm (40 x 30 ")

oil on canvas

"Happy Buddha"

“Buda Feliz”

165,000 (included see through methacrylate & golden wood frame)

80 x 80 cm (31.5 x 31.5 ") (including frame)

oil on canvas

"Buddha Face"

“Cara del Buda”

SOLD

61 x 51 cm (24 x 20 ")

oli on canvas

"Buddha in Red I"

“Buda en Rojo I”

SOLD

76 x 60 cm (30 x 24 ")

mixed media on canvas

"Golden Buddha"

“Buda Dorado”

SOLD

61 x 51 cm (24 x 20 ")

oil on canvas

"Buddha's Essence"

“La Esencia de Buda”

SOLD

26 x 22 cm (10 x 9 ")

oil on canvas

"Buddha Reflection"

“Reflejo de Buda”

SOLD

61 x 46 cm (24 x 18 ")

oil and gold sheet on canvas

"Angkor Buddha I"

“Buda de Angkor I”

SOLD

122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 ")

oil on canvas

"Angkor Buddha"

“Buda de Angkor”

SOLD

76 x 61 cm (30 x 24 ")

oil on Canvas

"Buddha's Hand"

“Mano de Buda”

SOLD

71 x 56 cm (28 x 22 ")

oil on canvas

Buddha Contemplation series gallery

"Contemplation"

“Contemplación”

SOLD

101.6 x 76.2 cm (40 x 30 ")

oil on canvas

"Contemplation I"

“Contemplación I”

SOLD

122 x 91 cm (48 x 36 ")

oil on canvas

"Contemplation II"

“Contemplación II”

185,000 Yen

91.5 x 61 cm (36 x 24 ")

oil on canvas

Landscapes and Houses

"The Stair case"

“La Escalera”

SOLD

93 x 72 cm (36.5 x 28.5 ")

oil on canvas

"Farming Blossoms"

“Cultivo de flores”

170,000 Yen

92 x 61 cm (36 x 24 ")

oil on canvas

"Purple Clouds"

“Nubes Moradas”

165,000 Yen

61 x 73cm (24 x 29 ")

acrylic on canvas

"Flower Merchant"

“Mercader de Flores”

SOLD

44 x 33 cm (17.5 x 13 ")

oil on canvas

“Summer bicycle”

"Bicicleta de Verano"

110,000 Yen

61 x 46 cm (24 x 18 ")

oil on canvas

"Nieve"

“Snow”

28,000 Yen

23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 ")

oil on canvas

"Wishing Bridge"

"Puente de los Deseos"

180,000 Yen

76 x 61 cm (30 x 24 ")

oil on canvas

"Turbulence"

“Turbulencia”

SOLD

56 x 71 cm (22 x 28 ")

oil on canvas

“Waves”

“Olas”

..in process…

Other Paintings

"Red Lantern Girl"

“La chica de la linterna Roja”

SOLD

51 x 41 cm (13 x 9.5 ")

oil on canvas

"Star Explosion"

“Explosion de Estrella”

28,000 Yen

23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 ")

oil on canvas

"White Horse"

"Caballo Blanco"

160,000 Yen

61 x 75 cm

Oil on canvas

Sumie Ink Paintings on Rice Paper

"Carps"

“Carpas”

SOLD

81 x 55 cm (32 x 21.5 ")

free style sumie ink on rice paper

"Pelican"

“Pelicano”

SOLD

81 x 61 cm (32 x 24 ")

fine line sumie ink on rice paper

"Family ties"

“Lazos de Familia”

90,000 Yen (including glass & wood frame)

66 x 46 cm (26 x 18 ")

free style sumie ink on rice paper

"After the storm"

“Stras la tormenta”

SOLD

86 x 61 cm (34 x 24")

fine line sumie ink on rice paper

"The Tea Ceremony"

“Ceremonia del Té”

SOLD

45 x 45 cm (17 x 17 ")

free stye sumie ink on rice paper

"The Stork"

“La Cigueña”

SOLD

45 x 69 cm (17.5 x 27 ")

free style sumie ink on rice paper

My Versions of Famous Art

Just as many other artists, I have been inspired by famous painters of the past. These three paintings are an example of my version of their work. The purpose was not to make an exact reproduction but to change it slightly so that I could put some of myself into it...

"My Girl with a Pearl Earring"

33 x 24 cm (13 x 9.5 ")

oil on raw canvas

In my version of Vermeer's painting, I changed the colour of her eyes and the bridge of her nose and here she is... I Started painting her in a special "Medieval Painting Techniques" Course I took at the Musee du Louvre in Paris. We were practicing how to make oil paint from scratch as it would have been done in those days, mixing dry powder pigments with oils. Vermeer is of course from the XVII th century but he still would have used a similar technique. We are so lucky now a days to have all the paints already industrially prepared for us....

"Nature Morte"

16 x 23 cm (9 x 12 ")

acrylic on canvas

This tiny painting is inspired on the simple beauty of Chardin's still life paintings. I went to see an exhibit of his work for the first time here in Tokyo and just had to express my appreciation of what many think of as boring European art but that is in fact very calming and beautiful in its minute depiction of every day objects.....

"Nieve" ("Snow")

23 x 30 cm (9 x 12")

oil on canvas

This small painting, although different, is clearly inspired on Monet's "La pie" (The Magpie) but with no bird in sight..

I very much admire the Spanish painters Goya and Sorolla, the first for being a clear impressionist painter ahead of them all and the second for his exquisite treatment of light. The impressionists being my all time favorites I still very much enjoy any style of painting that can make me "feel" or "guess" the painter's mood. For this reason I also enjoy abstract art....